Switch-operating device.



No. 759,545. PATENTED MAY 10, 1904. E. L. PBNOE.

SWITCH OPERATING DEVIGE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I I I I a hfom c ys 1 v Wifgzsses l3 L OcgIoP.

No. 759,545. PATENTED MAY 10, 190$ E. L. FENCE.

SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 18.1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented May 10, 1904.

EDWARD L. FENCE, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

SWITCH-"OPERATING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,545, dated May 10, 1904.

Application filed July 18, 1903.

' To aZZ whom it may concern.- 1

Be it known that I, EDWARD L. Pnnona citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Switch-Operating Device, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to switch-operating devices, and has for its objects to provide a simple and efficient device of this character which will be carried by the engine and will operate to automatically close the switch should the same be left in an open condition through accident or design and one in which the operating device may be readily moved to inoperative position whencircumstances require.

With these and other objects in view the invention comprises the novel details of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan View of a switch and its operating device constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, taken on a line transversely of the rails. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional plan of the casing and adjacent mechanism. Fig. 4; is a detail sectional elevation on the line 4 4. of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the switch-lever-operating member.

Referring to the drawings, 1 1 indicate the railway-rails, 2 the cross-ties, 3 the movable switch-sections, and 1 the base-frame of an engine-pilot, all of which parts may be of any ordinary or desired construction, inasmuch as they constitute no part of my invention.

5 indicates a bar, usually termed the bridlebar, which extends between and is attached to the points of the switch-sections fol-moving the same. This bar in accordance with my invention consists, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4:, of an upper section or plate 6, carrying vertical ears 7 for attachment to the respective switch-sections, and a lower plate or section 8, connected to the upper section 6 by means of bolts 9, slidably engaging slots 10 in said upper section, to the under side of which latter is bolted an angle-plate forming a de- Serial No. 166,149. (No model.)

pending perforated car 11, through which loosely extends a rod 12, engaged with a depending ear 13, formed upon the inner end of plate 8. Mounted upon the rod 12 is a spring 14., which bears at its inner end against the outer face of ear .11 and at its outer end against a nut 15, which is tapped onto the end of the rod, the function of which spring will hereinafter appear. The outer end of plate 8 is provided with a slotted head 16, in which is pivoted one end of a switclroperating lever 17, pivoted, as at 18, to one of the cross-ties 2, and at its other end in the slotted head 19 of a longitudinally-movable bar 20, which extends transversely of the rails l and for a considerable distance beyond the same on the side opposite that on which the lever 17 is disposed. Disposed beneath the bar 20 and in parallel relation therewith is a base-plate 21, having longitudinal slots 22, engaged by bolts 23, which slidingly connect the bar to the plate for movement in a direction longitudinally thereof and transversely of the rails, the bar being provided at its outer end with a rightangularly-disposed slotted portion 2 1, the slot of which is engaged by the crank-bend of a rotary operating-lever 26, which when operated will, owing to its slot engagement with the bar, move the latter in a parallel direction, as above stated. The base-plate 21 is angularly bent downward at suitable points 27 28 to form beneath the bar 20 a longitudinal space or recess 29.

Loosely mounted upon the bar 20 for sliding movement in a direction longitudinally thereof and within the space 29 is a block or member 30, provided at one side with gearteeth 31 and upon its top with an upwardlyextending vertical flange or web 32, through which extends a transverse pin 33, which forms horizontal studs projecting laterally from the web at opposite sides thereof. There is also mounted upon the bar 20 within the recess 29 a pair of normally expanded springs 34E 35, situated, respectively, upon opposite sides of the member 30. The inner spring 34 bears at its opposite ends upon the inner end of block and a stop 36, consistingoi a pair of angle-plates riveted to the bar, while the outer spring 35 bears at one end upon a pin 37 extending vertically and transversely through the bar, and at its other end against a stop formed by the angle-bend 28 and the inner face of a lug 38, bolted or'otherwise'secured to the bar, the pin 37 serving also to limit the outward movement of the block for the purpose which will be hereinafter explained.

Pivoted to lug 38, one upon either side thereof, are a pair of spaced normally horizontal arms or catches 39, the free ends of which extend upon opposite sides of web 32, resting upon the studs formed by pin 33, and are angularly bent between their ends into shoulders 40, which when the bar 20 is moved longitudinally for operating the switch, as more fully hereinafter described, engage the pin 33 for locking the parts in said position.

The last-described parts, with the exception of spring 34, are inclosed by a suitable protecting-casing 41, which is open at its side toward the rails to permit of the movement inthat direction of the member 30. Disposed within the casing 41 and having bearing in the upper and lower walls thereof is a vertical rotary shaft 42, upon which is loosely mounted a gear-pinion 43, having teeth upon onehalf of its periphery in mesh with the teeth 31 of member 30. Fixed upon the upper end of shaft 42 is a lever 44, which when the switch is open, as shown in Fig. 1, extends in a direction at right angles to and with its free end disposed toward the rails 1, as shown by full lines in said figure, the position of said lever illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 being'that which the same occupies when the switch is closed.

45 is acollar keyed or otherwise fixed upon the shaft 42 between the lever 44 and underlying pinion 43. This collar has an arm or projection 46, which extends at right angles to the lever 44, and an angular portion 47, which presents a pair of right-angularly-disposed faces 48 49. Pivoted to the outer end and upon the lower face of arm 46 is a pawl 50, which engages a lug 51 upon the upper face of pinion 43, whereby the latter is temporarily held for forward rotation with the shaft 42, the pawl being provided with a rearward extension 52, which contacts a block or obstruction 53 upon the inner wall of casing 41 to throw the pawl out of engagement, the pawl being normally in engaging position by a spring 53, The lever 44 is held in either of its positions by a spring 54, which bears upon either of the flattened faces 48 49, as the case may be, of collar 45. It may here be stated that as the lever moves from the full-line to the clottedline position it serves,through the medium of pawl 50, engaging lug 51, to rotate the pinion 43, and the latter acts upon member 30 for moving bar 20 longitudinally away from the rails, whereby lever 17 will be actuated for operating bridle-bar 5 to close the switch. At the beginning and during the first sixty degrees of movement of lever 44 in traveling from the full to the dotted line position the pawl 50 remains in engagement with lug 51 and is then released, as above explained,which frees the pinion from the lever and permits the latter, through the momentum or impetus which it has received, to continue the movement free of the pinion to the dotted-line position, in which latter it is locked by spring 54, engaging face 48 of the collar. Attention is here directed to the fact that the movement of bar 20 during the swinging of lever 44, as above explained, will be slightly more than sufiicient to close the switch, and hence after the sections have been closed the lower plate 8 of the bridle-bar will continue to move, owing to its slotted connection with the upper plate, and compress the spring 14. By the time the switch-sections have been moved to closed position the member 30 will have moved a sufficient distance for the bent portion 40 of latch-arms 39 to engage with pin 33 and lock the switch in closed position, as heretofore described, it being understood that said arms fall by gravity into engagement and are manually released.

I will now describe my improved device for operating the switch.

Bolted to the base-frame 4 of the engine-pilot is a base-plate 55, consisting, preferably, of a sheet-metal plate of the form shown in Fig. 1 and having an outer portion 56, which extends in substantial parallel relation with the rails 1.

57 indicates a member composed,preferably, of sheet metal stamped and bent,as shown more clearly in Fig. 6, to forma pair of verticallyspaced ears 58, which straddle the outer portion 56 of the base-plate, and a right-angularlyextending finger, the forward face of which is outwardly and rearwardly curved, the inner end of the rear wall of the finger constituting a stop 59, which contacts with the edge of base-plate to limit the rearward swinging movement of the member. The member 57 is fixed in any suitable manner upon a vertical shaft 60, which extends through suitable perforations in the ears 58 and has bearing at its lower end in the base-plate and at its upper end in a bearing-block 61, bolted or otherwise secured to the dead-wood 62. The shaft 60 is acted upon for maintaining the member 57 in the normal position (illustrated in Fig. 1) by means of a spring 63, which has engagement at one end with the shaft and at its other end with the rear base-beam of the enginepilot.

Fixed upon the upper end of shaft 60 is a finger 64, which is disposed normally in a direction parallel with the rails 1 and at right angles to the member 57. Pivoted to the outer end of the finger 64 is a rod 65, provided at its inner end with a piston-head 66, working in a cylinder 67, sustained beneath the engine dead-wood, and connected with the engine by a suitable steam-pipe controlled by a valve in the engine-cab and communicating with the cylinder 67 at the point 68 for delivering steam between the piston-head and the end of the cylinder, the cylinder-wall being also provided between said parts with an escape-opening 69, the outlet capacity of which is less than the inlet capacity of the steampipe for the purpose which will presently ap pear.

In practice, supposing the parts to be in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 with the switch opened, it will be seen that as the engine advances the member 57 will contact with lever 44 and operate the same for closing the switch in the manner heretofore described. "If, however, it is desirable that the switch remain open in order to side-track the train, the engineer manipulates the valve in the enginecab to permit steam to enter cylinder 67, and the incoming steam acting upon piston 66 will, through the medium of rod and finger 64E, rotate shaft 60 against tension of spring 63, thus closing member 57 against the base-plate 55, or, in other words, move the member to an inoperative position out of the path of lever 44:, whereby the lever will remain unaffected and the switch open. After the switch-lever has been passed the admission of steam to cylinder 67 is again cut olf, and the contained steam escapes through opening 69, whereby the head 66 will be relieved from pressure and spring 63 will rotate shaft 60 in the proper direction to move the member 57 automatically to position. If at any time the member 30 through any cause he accidentally moved in a direction toward the rails, spring 3 L would upon the release of the member again return the same to proper position without in any wise afi'ecting the switch.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I produce a device of comparatively simple construetion which will be eflicient in operation and one which is admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in view. It is to be understood,however, that in attaining these ends I do not limit or confine myself to the precise details herein set forth, inasmuch as various minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination with a switch, of an operating-lever therefor, a member carried by the train for engaging the lever to operate the switch, means for maintaining said member normally in engaging position, and mechanism under control of the engineer for moving the member to inoperative position.

2. The combination with a switch, of an operating-lever therefor, a member carried by the train for engaging the lever to operate the switch, a spring for maintaining said member normally in engaging position, and mechanism under control of the engineer for moving the member to inoperative position.

3. The combination with a switch, of an opcrating-lever therefor, a member carried by the train for engaging the lever to operate the switch, a rotary operating-shaft for said member, a spring acting upon the shaft to maintain the member normally in engaging posi tion, and mechanism under control of the engineer for rotating the shaft against the action of the spring to move the member to inoperative position. 7

4. The combination with a switch, of an operating-lever therefor, a member carried by the train for engaging the lever to operate the switch, means for maintaining the member normally in engaging position, a cylinder carried by the train, a piston working therein and under control of the engineer, and operative connections between the piston and mem ber for moving the latter to inoperative position.

5. The combination with a switch, of a longitudinally-movable bar, operative connections between the bar and switch, a rack associated with the bar, a pinion engaging the rack, a lever operatively connected with the pinion, and a member carried by the train for engaging and actuating the lever.

6. The combination with a switch, of a longitudinally-movable bar, operative connections between the bar and switch, a rack associated with the bar, a pinion engaging the rack, a shaft extending through the pinion, a lever for rotating the shaft, means for clutching the pinion to the shaft when rotated in one di rection, and a member carried by the train for engaging and actuating the lever.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own 1 have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD L. FENCE. Witnesses:

H. Esen, Jr., J N0. F. BOLAND 

